Envelope machine



Nov. 19, 1929. H. s. LABOMBARDE ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed Nov. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet yuilv mhm h HAROLD s. LABUMBARDE;

IN V EN TOR.

BY W M A TTORNEY.

Nov. 1929. H. s. LABOMBARDE 1,736,407

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed Nov. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2. Z0

HAIHRULD s LABOMBARDE. INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

1929. H. s. LABOMBARDE 1,736,407

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed Nov. 3. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HAROLD S. LABOMBARDE.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE:

ENVELOPE mom Application filed November 3, 1921. Serial 1%. 280,746.

This invention relates to the manufacture of folded paper receptacles, and has partlcular reference to the making of such receptacles in the form ofwhat are usually called 5 envelopes, the specific shape made by the machine illustrated being vertically elongated and consequentlyl similar to a paper bag having a top flap w ich ma be fol ed down by hand after the receptac e has been filled. -I

do not limit myself however to the production of such specific shape of receptacle, as the machine may be readily adjusted to fold blanks of other kinds or shapes to produce paper receptacles for various purposes such as those which are employed for enclosing mail matter.

Machines of this general type compriseprimary and secondary folding mechanisms at an angle to each other, the first feeding'the blanks successively in the direction of one axis of the blanks and partly folding the blanks while traveling, the second mechanism feeding the partly folded blanks in the direction of their transverse axes and completing the folding thereof, the said partly folded blanks stopping momentarily in a location intermediate said primary and secondary folding mechanisms.

A machine of the general type referred to is illustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,253,054

issued January 8, 1918 uponan application by Labombarde and Sidebotham, and also in my application Serial No. 645,663, filed June 15, 1923, upon which the present machine is an improvement.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide improved means for ensuring accurate primary folding of the blanks, and

I obta-inthis object by employing four pin-.

carrying chains for properly alining the blanks, which chains are relatively adjustable so that the rear edge of each blank will be so engaged by four pins, regardless of the shape of said rear edge, that the blank will be pushed along in proper alinement for accu- I rate operation of the creasers and folders, no

matter how thick or thin the blanks are.

Another object is to provide means for frictionally holding the blanks back against the alining chainins, to aid in ensuring proper alinement o the blanks. Another object is to ensure the passage of the blanks between the nip er rolls which efi'ect proper travel of the blanks, without' liability of even the thinnest of them flexing around said rolls instead of travelling perfectly flat.

' Another object is to provide connections between the blank scorers and the folders, 50 both of which are 'necessaril adjustable for operation upon blanks of different widths, so as to not onl save time when adjustments are to be ma e but also ensure absolutely accurate scorin to enable proper folding to as be effected on t e scored or creased lines of the blanks.

Another object is to provide improved means for assembling the preliminarily folded blanks in a. ile from which they are then sent throught e secondary foldingmechanism. Another object is to provide means whereby any interruption of the supply to the ile of preliminarily folded blanks will not a eat the maintenance of the proper number of blanks in the pile from which the blanks are sent through the secondary folding mecha- IllSm.

With the above stated objects in view, and others which will be explained, the invention consists in the machine and in the construction and combination of parts thereof, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed. v

Of the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2, on-two sheets, taken together, are a plan view of the machine, omitting the deliver end thereof.

Figures 3 an 4 are elevations of the por- 9o tions of the machine illustrated respectively by Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is'a detail diagrammatic view of the electric connections employed, with some of the parts shown in Fi 'iire 4.

Figure 5 is a detail view ooking toward th left from the line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 6-6, Fi re- 5. X

igures 7 and 8 are detail side and edge views of the sprocket-adjustment hereinafter described.

Figure 9 is a detail view looking in the direction of the arrow 9, Figure 4, on a larger scale.

Figure 10 is a detail view illustrating the adjustment of the blank scorers.

Figure 11 is a detail end view of one of the pile joggers and illustrating portions of the belts which deliver primarily folded blanks over it.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the electric connections shown in the right-hand portion of Figure 4.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 but illustrating more of the parts of the machine.

Figure 14 is a detail elevation looking from the line 14-14, Figure 1.

Figure 15 is a detail plan view of a portion of the preferred mechanism for effecting correct lateral position of the blanks that are being moved to the secondary folders.

Fi ure 16 is a view looking from the left of Figure 15; that is, in the direction of the arrow 16.

Figure 17 represents a section on line 17-17, Fig. 15.

Figure 18 is a plan View of one of the many forms of blanks capable of being folded by the machine.

Figure 19 is a sectional perspective view of the epieyclic gearing.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts or features in all of the figures.

The frame of that portion of the machine which effects the first or primary folding is indicated at 20, and the frame of that portion which effects the secondary folding is indicated at 20. At one end of the machine (Figs. 1 and 3) is a combing wheel 21 carried by shaft 22, said wheel feeding the blanks successively from a pile supported by a suitable table not necessary to illustrate. A rotary brush 23, carried by a shaft 24, keeps the combing wheel clean.

Mountedslidably on two tie rods 25 and two shafts 26, 26, are four carriages 27 for chains 28, 29, the sprockets for which are carried by the shafts 26, 26'. The outer chains 29 have blank-engaging and forwarding pins 30 and the inner chains 28 have blank-engaging and forwarding pins 30'. It is to be understood that in operation each blank fed by the combing wheel is deposited on the chains in front of four pins.

Each of the two outer carriages 27 is connected to an inner carriage by one or more screws 31 (Fig. 1) whereby lateral adjustment may be effected to cause the chain pins, especially the pins 30, to properly engage the blanks. This is of particular importance when the blanks have angular corner recesses such as illustrated by Figure 18. The term pins is employed as a short eneric word to apply to any kindiof projection adapted to push the blanks albigg.

Screws 32, mounte in the side members of the frame, engage the carriages of'both the inner and outer chains to enable the two frames of each pair to be simultaneously adjusted laterally for different sizes of blanks. That is, the two screws 32 at either side may be operated to simultaneously adjust the right-hand or the left-hand pair of pincarrying chains, while the screws 31 may be operated to vary the distance between the chains of the right-hand pair or the left-hand pair. This provides for locating the pins so they will accurately engage the apexes of angular recesses of a blank regardless of the width of the blank, while adjustment of the sprockets for the two outer chains as present; 1y described provides for proper simultaneous pushing action of four chain pins against blanks differing in shape from that illustrated.

In line with the feed wheel 21 and between the carriages of the inner chains 28 is a guide strip 33 supported by the tie rods 25.

The sprockets on the driven shaft 26 for the two outer chains 29 are rotatively ad justable on said shaft to enable the pins 30 of said chains to be advanced or retracted relatively to the pins 30 of the inner chains 28 so that the four pins which are to engage the rear edge ofa blank of a selected shape may be so relatively positioned that all four of said pins will properly and simultaneously engage said edge in the correct locations necessary to ensure that the blanks will not be pushed along askew. To effect this adjustment of the said sprockets (see Figs. 7 and 8), the shaft 26 has two worm-wheels 34 splined thereon, and each worm wheel has a collar 35 surrounding it, a sprocket 36 for a chain 29 being fixed to or integral with said collar. Mounted in the collar is a worm 37 engaging the worm wheel 34 and having a "portion 38 to be engaged by a wrench whereby the collar and its sprocket may be adjusted rotatively on the shaft. By this means either of the chains 29 can be adjusted to advance or set back its pins 30 relatively to the pins 30 of the inner chains 28, in order to effect accurate engagement of the four pins with the blanks. In other words, the mechanism described provides for adjusting two of the chains relatively to the other two in the direction of travel of the chains and blanks.

Each blank advanced by the pin-carrying chains is delivered to a pair of driven nipper rolls 39, 40 (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6) which are circumferentially grooved. Secured to transverse fixed bars 41, 42, are guides or deflector strips 43 extending into and partly beyond the grooves of the rolls 39, 40, to guide the blanks, especially thin ones, and prevent them from flexing. around the rolls.

Said strips ensure fiat straight delivery of the blanks to the scorers 44 which, as will be described.

hereinafter, are laterally adjustable simultaneously with adjustments of the rimary folding mechanism when blanks of ifi'erent widthsare to be operated upon.

,The blanks are carried by upper and lower belts over a glue disk 64, (F1 1) rotating in a glue box 63 and carried y a shaft 65. The two lower belts 45 are mounted at one end on pulleys 46 (Fig. 3) carried by shaft 47, and at the other end on pulleys 48 Fig. 4) carried by shaft 49. The two upper Its 50, which are much shorter than the lower belts, are mounted at one end Figs. 1 and 3) on pulleys 51 carried by sha 52, and at the other end .on ulleys 53 carried by idle stud shafts pper and lower cages 55 support rolls (Fig. 3) for maintainin the carrier belts in operative proximity. uitably supported inclined bars 56 (Fig. 1) effect preliminary folding of the side flaps of the blanks. From the carrier belts the partially folded blanks pass between a pair of side belts 57 and are acted upon bythe twist belts 58 which, at one end (Fi- 1 and 2) are mounted on pulle s 59 an at the other end on pulleys 60 igs. 3 and 4) carried b a driven shaft 60'. The carrying and fo ding elements just referred to are well known and.

are illustrated, for exam le, in Letters Patent No. 960,348 granted une 7, 1910, and do not require a further description herein.

The blanks, with two opposite marginal flaps folded down and glued to ether, are de i vered by the nipper rolls 61 igs. 2 and 4) onto a traveling platform comprising a wide belt 66- above which is an upper wide belt 67. Said belts 66, 67, are driven-in'the direction of the arrows (Fig. 4) at a s (1 much slower than the speed of travel 0 the blanks arriving between them and the partly folded blanks arrive on the wide lower belt or traveling platform 66 in overlapping relationship. In operation, if the primary feeding by the combing wheel 21 ceases, or

if from any cause no partly folded blanks are arriving on the belt 66, there will be more or less space between the blanks on said belt when the next ones arrive on it. The front edge of the first blank'to arrive, after any such interruption, is liable to engage the rear edge of the last blank of the forward or preceding group on the belt, so that the lpushmg action of the nipper rolls 61, 62, wi double that blank up and obstruct the arrival of other blanks, and cause a jam. To prevent such result, means are rovided to stop travel of the belts 66, 67, i noblanks are arriving, such travel being automatically renewed when arrival of blanks is resumed. The means for effecting such stop age and renewal will be explained hereina er. The two belts 66, 67, are inclined relativebla lg to each other, and at the oint of delivery t erefron) are so close toget er that they nip the blanks in their overlappin condition and deliver them to a receiver'w ich includes a platform strip 68 (Figs. 1, 4 and 9) hereinafter referredto as the vibrator. The mechanlsm for effecting vibration of said strip will presently described.

Suitably supported at opposite sides of the vibrator 68 and forming other members of the receiver, are two platform strips 69. The. partly folded blanks delivered b the belts 66, 67, settle down, as a pile, on t e vibrator 68 and the strips 69, between outer and inner jo ers 70, 72, (Fig. 4).

he outer jogger 70 is pivoted at 73 and is actuated by a cam 74 (Fig. 4 carried by a shaft 75 (Fig. 2) which is driven by bevel gears 76 from a shaft 77 adjacent to which is a tie rod 78.- Said shaft 77 has a ulle'y at one end onwhich is mounted a be t 79 for driving the shaft at desired speed.

The inner jogger 72 (Figs. 2, 4 and 11) is arm 81 carrying aroll 82 bearing against a cam 83 carried by the shaft of the roll or wide pulley of the lower belt 66, a spring 84 holding the 'ogger-arm-roll 82 against the cam 83.

Thir or side joggers 85 are pivoted to blocks 86 mounted on the tie rod 78 (Fig. 4) and' are actuated by cams 87 keyed on the shaft 77, suitable springs 88 (Fig. 2) acting in opposition to the cams. These thirdjoggers act against the sides of the blanks arriving on the strips 69 and the vibrator 68, while the 'oggers 70, 72, act on the ends of the all three of the joggers acting to accurately position the blanks in a pile for the operation of the feed to the secondary foldin mechanism.

e vibrator 68 is carried by a rock shaft 89 (Fig. 9) and extends to a position nearly,

or quite, overlapping the vacuum feed wheel 90 the operation of which will be described hereinafter. Said rock shaft 89 has anarm 91 provided with a roll bearing on a cam 92 carried by shaft 93, said shaft also carryin a brush wheel 94 to keep the vacuum feed wheel 90 clean.

A spring strip 95 is secured on the vibrator 68 by a thumb screw 96 and is adjustable longitudinally so as to overlap the vacuum wheel 90 more or less for a purpose to be described.

Each primarily folded blank advanced by the vacuum wheel 90'from the bottom of the pile that has been deposited between the joggers, passes under a gate stri 97, (Fig. 9), onto a ide plate 98 and un er rolls 99, 100, and said blank is then deposited on carrier chains 101 (Fig. 2) havin pins 102 and mounted on sprockets carriediy shafts 103, 104.

Between the chains'101 is a guide or platform strip 105 mounted on tie rods 106, and

rubber surfaced, and mounted in suitable bearings, and having worm-gearing connec-' tions 108 with the shaft 103, said gearing serving to rotate both of the friction rolls slowly in a direction to cause a slight lateral'movement of each. blank on the chains toward the. left (Fig. 2) and toward an angular edge guide 109 adjustably mounted on the tie rods 106.. The said friction rolls are so mounted that their uppermost portions are in the.

plane, or very slightly above the plane, of the chains 101, their object or purpose being to frictionally urge each blank laterally against the edge guide 109 to ensure correct lateral position of each blank forwarded by the pins of the chains to the secondary creasing and folding mechanism which latter is not illustrated because it is practically a duplicate of the primary creasing and folding mechanism illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Reference has been made to the scorers 44 as being laterally adjustable simultaneously with adjustments of the folding mechanism, to save time and ensure accuracy of the scoring and folding. Said scorers 44 are splined on an upper shaft 110 (Fig. 10) and cooperate with grooved rolls 111 splined on-a lower shaft 112. The two carriages (Fig. 1) which support the folding mechanism are mounted on tie rods 114 and have extensions 115 (Fig. 10) with which screws 116 engage, said screws being operated to adjust the folder carriages along their supporting rods 114. Bolted or otherwise secured to the extensions 115 are rigid strips or plates 117 which embrace the screws 118 are operated to adjust the folder mechanism carriages laterally, the connections just described will effect corresponding adjustment of the scoring members 44, 111, along their shafts. Independent adjustment of the scoring members may be effected by .means of the nuts 118.

The mechanism for preventing travel of the belts 66, 67, if no blanks are arriving thereon, is illustrated by Figures 4, 12, 13 and 19. The rolls of said belts are driven from a shaft 120,

said shaft having a brake wheelor drum 121. v A brake shoe 122, carried by a lever 123 is therefrom isanother contact 132 from which a'wire 133 leadsto a magnet 134 mounted on the frame 20. A.- wire 135 leads from a suitable source of electricity or-generator G to said magnet 134, and from said generator another wire 136 leads to both the lever 129 and to ound ounted on but insulated from one of the portions of the machine in whichthe twist folding belts 58 are mounted (Figs. 2 and 12) is a block 137 having a wire 138 which is grounded. Mounted on and insulated from the same portion of the machine, and above the block 137, is a thin fiat spring 139 so positioned as to bear on the b1ock'137 when nothing is interposed between them. In Figures 12 and 13 I have indicated at a an envelo e which has received the preliminary folding and is on its way to the belts 66, 67 (Fig. 4) A wire 140 leads from the spring 139 to the magnet 134. .An arm 141 (Figs. 4 and 13) is'pivoted to the frame of the machine and has an armature portion extending across the face of the magnet 134, and has a yielding connection 142'with the upper end of a lever143 the lower end of which is normally opposite the end of the lever 123 and is hook-shaped to catch thereunder at times as presently explained. Another spring 142 tends to hold the armature arm away from the magnet.

In operation the two cams 126, 127, are constantly rotating and the cam 127 is constantly imparting a rocking motion to the lever 129 so as to make andbreak the circuit at 131, 132. At the same time the other cam 126 is constantly oscillating the lever 123; but although the brake shoe 122 is intermittently contacting with and leaving the brake drum 121, the intervals when the brake shoe is out of contact with the drum are not long enough to effect stoppage of'the travel of the belts 66, 67. A strong spring 144 is connected to the end of the lever 123 so that when the brake is applied as presently described, it will be applied with suflicient force to stop travel of the belts.

It is to be understood that in operation the cams 126,.127, rotate in timed relationship with the passage of preliminarily folded blanks over the block 137. Each blank so passing over the block raises the contact spring 139 and breaks one of the circuits through the magnet 134. The magnet is energized by two circuits, one being through the wire 140, spring 139, block 137 and wire 138 to ground, and from ground to wire 136, generator G and wire 135 to the magnet. The other circuit is through wire 133, contacts 131, 132, lever 129,- wire 136, generator G and wire 135 to the magnet. The last-mentioned circuit is intermittent, due to the cam 127 keeping the lever 129 oscillating. The other circuit is controlled by the passage of the preliminarily folded blanks under the spring contact 139. The oscillations the lever 129 do not result in the magnet beindg de-energized upless the spring 139 is raise by a passing b ank a.

K The timing is such that tab blank when passing under the contactspring 139 causes the circuit through the wire 140 to the ma et to be broken in time with the breaking o the other circuit at contacts 131, 132 due to the oscillations of the lever 129 by the cam 127. The breaking of said two circuits simultaneously results in the magnet bein de-enered and allows spring 142' to p the catch ever 143 away from the lever 123 so that the spring 144 will act on the lever 123 to apply the brake shoe 122 firmly to the brake drum 121. The mechanism is so timed that the high point of the cam 126 actuates the lever 123 at the moment of release of the magnet 134, due to the fact that the friction at the point of contact of lever 123 and catch lever 143 must be relieved to allow the said catch lever to be disengaged from the end of the lever'123. By a shitable well-known epicyclic gear train, such as illustrated by Figure 19 the details of which do not require illustration, the belts 66, 67, are caused to travel as hereinafter described.

When the machine is in operation and blanks are successively and continuously passing over the block 137, the belts 66, 67, are constantly traveling slowly. At such time, although thelever 123 is oscillating, the

- magnet is be1ng constantly energized and deenergized and consequently oscillating the armature arm 141, and permits oscillation of' the lever 143 without any effect of catching the lever 123. If the passage of blanks over the block contact 137 ceases, the closing of the circuit, including the wire 140 andthe' magnet, causes the lever 143 to hook under the end of the lever 123 and hold the brake shoe 122 away from the brake drum 121. .Then the epicyclic gearing ceases to effect travel of the belts 66, 67

It is important that an approximate pre determined number of the reliminarily folded blanks shall be constant yin the pile in the receiver between the gate strip '97 and the j oggers, in order to secure proper feeding by the vacuum wheel 90 to the secondary folding mechanism. To control the said number of blanks in the pile, I employ the following mechanism illustrated particularly by Figures 4, 4 and 9. I

A suction pump 145 is connected by pipes 146, 147, to a valve casing 148 containing a valve 149 the axle orshaft of which has a toothed connection with a toothed segment 150 at one end of a lever or rocking member 151 the other end of which is recessed to present upper and lower shoulders or abutments,

one or the other of which may be engaged by one or the other of two pawls carried by an arm 152 which is oscillated by means of a link 153 the upper end of which has a stra enclosing an eccentric carried by the sha 93.

Mounted on a portion of the arm 152 is a magnet 154 the armature 155-of which is pivoted to the lower end of the link 153 and carries the two before-mentioned ,{pawls whichengage the recessed end of the lever 151.

A spring 156 normally holds the ariiiature away from themagnet. if;

A finger 157 gFigs. 4 and 4% is pivotally mounted on the rame of the nizchine ha location to project into the receit'ier for the pile of partly folded blanks at a pdint sufliciently above the platform strip 68 and,the strips 69 to permit of the accumulation "below said finger of a predetermined number of the blanks, such as eight or ten. The finger 157 is connected to an arm 158 whichincts alternately upon one or the other of two spring contacts 159', 160, so as to close one or the other of two clrcmts illustrated conveniionally or diagrammatically in Figure 4 and not necessary to describe in detail, said circuits serving to actuate a suitable magnetic switch 6 mechanism 161 so as to energize and deenergize the magnet 154. Whenthe number of blanks in the pile (see a: in Figure 4) reach such a height as to raise the finger 157, a cir- -nism. If the pile gets too low, due to any slowing down of arrival of blanks on the top of the pile in the receiver, the finger 15 by lowering, shifts the electric circuit so asto de-energize the magnet 154 and permit the sprin' 156 to raise the armature 155 so that the ot er pawl will engage a shoulder of the lever 151 and reverse the passage of air so that instead of a suction being created through the pipe 162 air will be blown through said pipe, and consequently air escaping from the wheel through its ports will reuse the blanks instead of pulling them down and therefore prevent any blank from being carried out under the gate strip 97 by friction. The small pipe 163 illustrated in Figure 9 leads from the pipe 162 to a point underl the pile of blanks in the receiver to aid in holdin the bottom blank of the pile down in 'a pfime to be fed when the pile contains the predetermined number, and to aid in lift ing the blanks when air is ejected as just described.

Reference has been made to one of the ob jects of the invention being-to frictionally hold the blanks backagainst the chain pins which advance them. This is accomplished by means or devices illustrated by Figure 14 and in Figure 1 where the blanks are first fed to the machine. In practice similar means or devices are employed where the blanks are fed from the pile to the secondary folding mechanism. Supported by the tie rods (Figs. 1 and 3) at one side of the guide strip 33, is a vertical strip 164 (Fig. 14) in which studs 165, having slits 166, are rotatively mounted. Secured in the slits 166 are spring fingers 167 which bear on the blanks that are being pushed along the guide ensure correct lateral position of the blanks that are forwarded to the secondary creasing and folding mechanism as hereinbefore described, when the blanks are of fairly thick material, I prefer the mechanism illustrated by Figures 15, 16 and 17, because said mechanism effects proper squaring up'positioning when the material of the blanks is very thin as well as when said material is thick or heavy. In this connection it is to be noted that, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, the blanks are traveling side-ways and present only a rather narrow and single flap edge to bear against whatever is to constitute the edge guide, and if said edge guide is a stationary one, as at 109 (Fig. 2), the friction against said guide is liable to result in the blanks being pushed along bythe chainpins somewhat askew.

' As illustrated by Figures 15, 16 and 17 the preferred mechanism employs no stationary side or edge guide. Instead, the links of one of the chains 101 carry angular lugs 169 the horizontal portions of which support and carry a belt 170 which is of the same length as the chain and travels therewith. -A rod or bar 171 which is suitably supported by the frame of the machine above the upper stretch of the chain and belt, has mounted in it the stems 172 of yokes 173 in which are idly mounted disks 174 bearing on the belt 17 0. Said disks are set at such an angle to the direction of travel of the blanks the end flaps of which are resting on the belt,

8 that the pressure of said disks on the blanks tends to urge them toward the upright portions of the angular lugs 169. This effect is. obtained whether the material of the blanks is thin or thick. Since the upright portions of the lugs serve as stops to limit lateral movement of the traveling blanks, and since said lugs travel at exactly the same speed as the brake wheel 121 secured to its inner end.

Adjacent to the gear 181 and keyed to the shaft 120 is a gear 182 which has one more tooth than the gear 181. Meshing with both of the gears 181, 182, is a pinion 183 rotatable on a stud 184k projecting from one side of a gear 185 which is driven by any suitable gear train. The gear 185 is mounted freely on the shaft 120 and is held in position thereon by a collar 186.

The operation of the abovedescribed gearing is as follows The machine-driven gear 185 carries the pinion 183 in a planetary path about the gears 182, 181. The gear 182, having one more tooth than the gear 181, operates to cause a slight relative movement between them as the pinion 183 revolves around them. When the gear 181 is held stationary by means of the shoe 122 bearing against-the drum or brake wheel 121, the slight rotating relation between the gears 182, 181, necessarily results in a movement of gear 182 and shaft 120 as described. If, however, the shoe 122 is released from the wheel 121 the frictional resistance which the shaft 120 meets in transmitting its power to the mechanism of the belts 66, 67, will prevent further motion of the shaft 120 and the slight relative movement between the gears 182, 181, will then be maintained by the revolving of gear 181 and drum 121. When the pressure of shoe 122 on the wheel 121 is sufficient to stop its movement, the motion is then transmitted to the shaft 120.

The operations of the several parts of the machine having been explained in connection with the descriptions of the structure thereof, description of the machine as a whole is unnecessary. No claims are made herein to the sheet feeding mechanism illustrated and described, as the same are included in my divisional application filed July 30, 1928, Serial No. 296,186.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A machine having blank-folding mechanism and means including nipper rolls for delivering the blanks to said mechanism, said nipper rolls having circumferential grooves, transverse bars above and below the rolls, and substantially angular guide strips supported by said bars and extendlng through said grooves in front of and between and horizontally beyond the rolls to prevent the blanks from flexing around the rolls.

2. A machine having laterally adjustable blank-folding mechanism, scorers for creasing the blanks on their way to said mechanism, and connections for effecting simultaneous adjustment of said folding mechanism and scorers.

3. A machine having laterally movable blank-folding mechanism, shafts having Scorers in position to act on the blanks on their way to the folding mechanism, said scorers being movable along their shafts, and connections whereby lateral movement of the folding mechanism effects corresponding movement of the scorers, said scorers being independently adjustable relatively to sai connections.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising an endless traveling platform, mechanism for partly folding blanks and depositing" them on said platform, a receiver to which said blanks are delivered by the traveling platform, and means for feeding the blanks from said receiver to mechanism for completing the folding thereof.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising an endless traveling platform, mechanism for partly folding blanks and depositing them on said platform, a receiver to which said blanks are delivered by the said platform, and means for feeding the blanks from said receiver to mechanism for completing the folding thereof, jogging mechanism being provided for acting on the blanks in the receiver to square them up.

6. A machine of the character described, having a receiver for a pile of partly folded blanks, mechanism for partly folding blanks and delivering them to said receiver, joggers on three sides of the receiver for squaring up the blanks delivered thereto, and means for feeding the blanks from said receiver to mechanism for completing the folding thereof.

7. A machine of the character described, having means for feeding blanks successively in the direction of one axis of tlie blanks to form a pile, joggers in position for acting on three sides of the pile, and means for feeding the blanks successively from the pile in another direction. Means being provided for folding the blanks during both directions of travel.

8. A machine of the character described, having means for feeding blanks successively in one direction to form a pile, and means for automatically preventing excessive accumulation of the number of blanks in the pile and for feeding the blanks from the pile in another direction.

9. A machine of the character described,

having means for feeding blanks successively in one direction to form a pile, means for maintaining approximately a predetermined number of blanks in the pile, oggers for act ing on the sides of the pile, and means for feeding the blanks from said pile in another direction, means being provided for folding the blanks during both directions of travel.

10. Amachine of the character described, having upper and lower wide belts in converging relationshi means for causing said belts to travel slow y, means for partl folding blanks and delivering them on sai lower belt in overlapping relationship, a receiver for temporarily holding a pile of blanks delivered thereto by said belts, and means for feeding the blanks from said pile for further folding.

11. A machine of the character described, having a wide belt and means for causing said belt to travel, means for partly folding blanks and delivering them on said belt in overlapping relationship, a receiver for temporarily holding a pile of blanks delivered thereto by said belt, and means for feeding the blanks from said pile for further folding, means being provided for maintaining an a proximate predetermined number of blan s in the pile.

12. A machine of the character described, having an endless traveling platform, mechanism for partly folding blanks and depositing them on said platform, a receiver to which the blanks are delivered by the traveling platform, means for feeding the blanks from said receiver to mechanism for completing the folding thereof, and means for stopping the travel of said platform if no blanks are-arriving thereon.

13. A machine of the character described, having a'receiver for a pile of partly folded blanks, mechanism for partly folding blanks and delivering them to said receiver, joggers for squaring up the blanks in the receiver, means for vertically agitating the blanks in the pile, and means for feeding the blanks from said receiver to mechanism for completing the folding thereof.

14. A machine of the character described, having a receiver for a pile of partly folded blanks, mechanism for partly folding blanks and deliverin them to said receiver, a vacuum wheel eeder for removing the blanks singly from the bottom of the pile, means for reversing the current of air to cause an upward current when the blanks in the pile are less than an approximate redetermined number, and means for removing the partly folded blanks from said pile and completing the folding thereof.

15. A machine of the character described havin an endless traveling dplatform, mechanism for folding blanks an depositing them on said platform, means for stopping the travel of said platform if no blanks are arriving thereon, and means for removing the blanks from said platform and folding them. i

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

HAROLD S. LABOMBARDE. 

